BackgroundEpidemiology and animal models suggest that dietary monosodium glutamate (MSG) may contribute to the onset of obesity and the metabolic syndrome.MethodsFamilies (n = 324) from a rural area of Thailand were selected and provided MSG as the sole source for the use in meal preparation for 10 days. Three hundred forty-nine subjects aged 35–55 years completed the study and were evaluated for energy and nutrient intake, physical activity, and tobacco smoking. The prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR >3), and the metabolic syndrome (ATP III criteria) were evaluated according to the daily MSG intake.ResultsThe prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in the tertile with the highest MSG intake. Further, every 1 g increase in MSG intake significantly increased the risk of having the metabolic syndrome (odds ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval-CI- 1.12 - 1.28) or being overweight (odds ratio 1.16, 95% CI 1.04 - 1.29), independent of the total energy intake and the level of physical activity.ConclusionHigher amounts of individual MSG consumption are associated with the risk of having the metabolic syndrome and being overweight independent of other major determinants.

BackgroundIt has been known that hypertension is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. Elevation of blood pressure (BP) increases the adverse effect for cardiovascular outcomes. Prevention of increased BP plays a crucial role in a reduction of those outcomes, leading to a decrease in mortality. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary black sesame meal on BP and oxidative stress in individuals with prehypertension.MethodsTwenty-two women and eight men (aged 49.8 ± 6.6 years) with prehypertension were randomly divided into two groups, 15 subjects per group. They ingested 2.52 g black sesame meal capsules or placebo capsules each day for 4 weeks. Blood samples were obtained after overnight fasting for measurement of plasma lipid, malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin E levels. Anthropometry, body composition and BP were measured before and after 4-week administration of black sesame meal or a placebo.ResultsThe results showed that 4-week administration of black sesame meal significantly decreased systolic BP (129.3 ± 6.8 vs. 121.0 ± 9.0 mmHg, P < 0.05) and MDA level (1.8 ± 0.6 vs. 1.2 ± 0.6 μmol/L, P < 0.05), and increased vitamin E level (29.4 ± 6.0 vs. 38.2 ± 7.8 μmol/L, P < 0.01). In the black sesame meal group, the change in SBP tended to be positively related to the change in MDA (R = 0.50, P = 0.05), while the change in DBP was negatively related to the change in vitamin E (R = -0.55, P < 0.05). There were no correlations between changes in BP and oxidative stress in the control group.ConclusionsThese results suggest the possible antihypertensive effects of black sesame meal on improving antioxidant status and decreasing oxidant stress. These data may imply a beneficial effect of black sesame meal on prevention of CVD.

Escherichia coli is the most common bacterium isolated from urine and stone matrix of calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone formers. Whether it has pathogenic role(s) in kidney stone formation or is only entrapped inside the stone remains unclear. We thus evaluated differences between E. coli isolated from urine of patients with kidney stone (EUK) and that from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) without stone (EUU). From 100 stone formers and 200 UTI patients, only four pairs of EUK/EUU isolates had identical antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Proteomic analysis revealed nine common differentially expressed proteins. Among these, the greater level of elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) in EUK was validated by Western blotting. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from EUK had greater promoting activities on CaOx crystallization, crystal growth and aggregation as compared to those derived from EUU. Neutralizing the OMVs of EUK with monoclonal anti-EF-Tu antibody, not with an isotype antibody, significantly reduced all these OMVs-induced promoting effects. Moreover, immunofluorescence staining of EF-Tu on bacterial cell surface confirmed the greater expression of surface EF-Tu on EUK (vs. EUU). Our data indicate that surface EF-Tu and OMVs play significant roles in promoting activities of E. coli on CaOx crystallization, crystal growth and aggregation.

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Cervical cancer (CxCa) is the most common cancer in women and a prominent cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The primary cause of CxCa is human papillomavirus (HPV). Radiation therapy and chemotherapy have been used as standard treatments, but they have undesirable side effects for patients. It was reported that gallic acid has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Gold nanoparticles are currently being used in medicine as biosensors and drug delivery agents. This study aimed to develop a drug delivery agent using gold nanoparticles conjugated with gallic acid. The study was performed in uninfected (C33A) cervical cancer cells, cervical cancer cells infected with HPV type 16 (CaSki) or 18 (HeLa), and normal Vero kidney cells. The results showed that GA inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. To enhance the efficacy of this anticancer activity, 15-nm spherical gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were used to deliver GA to cancer cells. The GNPs-GA complex had a reduced ability compared to unmodified GA to inhibit the growth of CxCa cells. It was interesting that high-concentration (150 µM) GNPs-GA was not toxic to normal cells, whereas GA alone was cytotoxic. In conclusion, GNPs-GA could inhibit CxCa cell proliferation less efficiently than GA, but it was not cytotoxic to normal cells. Thus, gold nanoparticles have the potential to be used as phytochemical delivery agents for alternative cancer treatment to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.